Williams Not Concerned With Slow Starts

The Terps have made somewhat of a habit out of doddling along in the first half before asserting control after halftime with sizable runs. Maryland needed second-half runs of 10-0 and 21-2 to pull away from American and Elon, respectively. Against Charlotte on Jan. 3, Maryland trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half before utilizing a 19-2 run shortly following the intermission to surge ahead.

Wednesday night, the Terrapins led Morgan State by three at halftime and then went on an 18-2 run in the second half. That game, obviously, ended quite differently than the other three examples, but you get the picture. So does Williams, but he's not so sure it's all that big of a deal.

"You want to get off to a good start," Williams said earlier today. "But, um, at the same time, I think we got off to a good start against Charlotte. Is that right? Early? No, we didn't. I know were behind at halftime. But anyway, you're looking to get off to good starts. If you don't, that's the way it goes. You know, you still have to win the game somehow. If it's halftime and you win the game that's fine with me."

Williams said he hasn't noticed any common threads that would point to why the Terps have tended to start off slowly before flipping the figurative switch after halftime. He understands the risks associated with such a pattern, but he also sees the advantages to having a team that can improve its play as the game progresses.

"I like the idea that we can pick it up if we have to, but at the same time, against really good teams, you might be down too far where even if you do pick it up it might not mean anything," Williams said. "So, you know, there's nothing you can do to make the ball go into the basket. In other words, you run a good play, you get an open shot, if you don't make it, you don't make it. That's the way it goes. I think one thing we've done for the 14 games is shot the ball better, a lot of times, in the second half."